Morning Glory's Pasta Sauce

Photo Courtesy of Morning Glory

What you need:

1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of parsley
2 pinches of oregano
2 cans of tomatoes

What you do:

Pour one of the cans of tomatoes into a blender ( if you have a big blender do both cans). Add half of salt, half of parsley, and 1 pinch of oregano. (If you are doing it in a big blender do all of the spices)
Blend until smooth. Heat it up on the stove.
This is great with noodles

Homemade Banana Cherry Sorbet

My Family Rating: 5  "This is a 10 out of 5 Mom!"

 Put in Blender:

• 2 frozen bananas
• 2 cups pitted frozen cherries
• 2-4 Tablespoons of filtered water (to help them blend more smoothly)

Blend with several pulses until desired consistency (or on Ice setting if your blender has that option)  I like to leave some cherry bits.

Serving suggestion:  Spread some leftover sorbet between graham crackers, cover with foil or wrap in waxed paper and freeze for later.

Recipe Consulted:The Primal Home

Simply Scrumptious: Fun Sandwich For Kid's Lunches

It is fun to add a little surprise to my daughter's sandwiches by using a cookie cutter to press a shape into her sandwich. I noticed when I actually cut out the shape it wastes a lot of the sandwich but this way there is the fun without the waste.

Fun-Shaped Daddy Pancakes

I love when my hubby makes breakfast. He surprised me one morning with pancakes shaped like the different fish in our fish tank ( we have a large salt-water tank because we love fish so much:), and another plate with christmas shaped pancakes too. How fun!

Carrot Shaped Carrot Cake

My husband wanted a carrot cake for his birthday and my daughter had a great idea: Make it carrot shaped! We used a homemade carrot cake and frosting recipe and it was so yummy! We simply made a 9x13 pan and then after it cooled for 10 minutes, we removed the cake and let it cool completely. Then transferred it onto a cookie sheet and cut out the main carrot shape and then used the leftover parts for the carrot leaves. Then decorated with orange and green frosting. Yum!

Cupcake Omelets

These cupcake omelets are so easy and so wonderful! I got this idea from my Mom. (Hubby's Mom is my Mom now too! Not an in-law since she is so wonderful!:D )

1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Beat eggs in bowl. Use 1 egg per cupcake you want to make (example for a dozen cupcake pan full use 12 eggs)
3) Add whatever fixin's you want like cheese, ham, minced onion and bell peppers (if using fresh, the onions and peppers are better cooked in some oil for a few minutes before adding or they might still be a little crunchy in the omelets) . . .
4) Fill greased muffin cups almost full (leave about a 1/4 " at the top for expanding)
5) Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Tip:  These can be made ahead and frozen and then quickly heated up on hurried mornings

Tooty Fruit Salad

This is another wonderful recipe created by my daughter. Here are her instructions:

1) Slice the strawberries by first slicing in kind-of crescent-shaped pieces.

2)Then take some grapes. Put 'em in the bowl with some strawberries.

3) Then take a whole can of mandarin oranges and pour it in the same bowl with the strawberries and the grapes. (Make sure you get almost all the juice out but leave the mandarin oranges juicy)

4) Then stir it up with a spoon until it is all mixed. Then serve it on the table with breakfast or dessert or anything.

It's very snacky and great to bring on vacation or to the zoo or something._

Hot Dogs With Mashed Potatoes and Cheese

I had some leftover mashed potatoes and got a craving for these yummy hot dogs. I've had them since I was a kid and though they may look strange to those who haven't had them, if you like hot dogs you will probably be happily surprised!
-Grill hot dogs (I use a little counter top Foreman grill--can skip this step but they sure taste best this way)
-cut each hot dog lengthwise and top with some mashed potatoes and cheese.
-put in the oven until cheese is melted and potatoes are golden brown. (or just pop in the microwave although they aren't quite as good that way)
Enjoy!!
PS my other favorites with grilled hot dogs are:
cut up and put into chili, mac and cheese or pork and beans.

Fast and Fun Healthier Waffles or Pancakes

Pancakes don't keep me satisfied for long but my family loves them so I always look out for healthier, heartier versions. I got this idea from the back of my Coach's Oats oatmeal bag but didn't want to follow their recipe since this way is so much easier. This is my new favorite:

1)Use some regular complete pancake mix (I used Krusteaz big bag from Costco). I don't measure I just dump about half of the amount of batter I want to make into the bowl.

2)Before you add water add in some oatmeal. (My favorite is Coach's Oats since they have a nuttier texture--again from Costco). I still don't measure just pour some in.

3) Add water a little time and mix with a wire whisk until the consistency is what I want either for waffles (thicker) or for pancakes (a little thinner).

4) Now just have fun and make pancake shapes or just use the waffle iron.

These waffles are crispy and heartier. My family started eating them as a piece of bread without even putting syrup on them and my husband asked me what I did different because they tasted so good. I can eat some of these and actually feel satisfied for more than a half an hour.